A Wintertime Reflection
Photo by Elaine Klonicki
“The most important thing is to enjoy your life—to be happy—it's all that matters.”
~ Audrey Hepburn
I hope your holidays were memorable. I’ve mentioned that a number of my friends have suffered devastating losses this year, which makes this season especially challenging for them to navigate. I’m holding a good thought for all of them.
On the national level, it’s been a tough time as well. Even though we may not be directly affected, our hearts go out to the families of the victims of all the recent tragedies.
As we learn about one upsetting national or world event after another, it’s easy to get stuck in the cycle of bad news.
We need some relief or distraction, but we feel guilty when we turn away to try to lighten our moods. It can be difficult to reconcile others’ pain with our desire to take care of ourselves. And yet, we must live our lives.
Even though there is difficulty in the world, we are ultimately meant to be happy.
To regain our equilibrium, we need to continue to have new experiences.
In early December, we went on vacation with our daughter and her family, her dear friends, and some of their extended family to Universal in Orlando, Florida. In reflecting on the vacation and how much better I felt afterwards, I realized that it included some universal elements that help many of us feel joyful: moments of wonder, connection with others, celebration of milestones, excitement and adventure.
Since we were headed to the Sunshine State, I had not checked our weather the day we traveled, so I was surprised when I started getting alerts about inclement conditions. Sure enough, snow started to fall in the afternoon, so we rushed to the airport an hour early for our evening flight to avoid any issues. After the plane was de-iced and we took off, we looked out our window to see huge, white snowflakes passing by against the dark sky. It was absolutely mesmerizing.
We landed, and the Universal shuttle appeared right on time. From our seats we saw colorful fireworks in the distance. As passengers were dropped off at various resorts, we got a view of one breathtaking hotel entrance after another. When we reached Aventura (Spanish for adventure) our daughter met us in the lobby and gave us one of her almost-knock-you-over hugs. We got excited embraces from our son-in-law and grandkids as well when we got to our adjoining room.
After a bit, my husband and I ventured outside to the patio area to warm ourselves by the fire pit, and a couple our age motioned for us to join them. There’s something so welcoming about strangers inviting you to pull up a chair for some easy conversation.
The next morning, the adventure began. We had two nonstop days at the Island of Adventure and Epic Universe where the recreated worlds, attractions, food, and service were incredible. The kids were beyond excited, and we got along famously with our daughter’s friends and their family.
My grandson and I share a birthday week in early-December, so we were treated to balloons anchored by chocolate bars at breakfast and a cake at lunch. We took a ton of photos, of course, including some with all of us in our Mario t-shirts in Super Nintendo World.
Our days at the parks were exhilarating, but my husband and I petered out by late afternoon, so we left early (after 12,000 steps!). To our surprise, we were able to see the evening fireworks and drone show from the rooftop bar of Aventura. The beloved characters and Universal logo displayed across the sky were an awesome sight.
The next morning, we left our group to visit my brother and sister-in-law, who live in Orlando. They picked us up at the hotel and took us to their beach condo for a couple of days. On the way, we stopped at a waterfront fish house where we were amazed to see a dolphin swimming by. Later, we saw a white heron on a railing just a few feet from us. Our visit also included a thrilling ride in a golf cart on the beach, and a trip to an arts center in the sweet little town of New Smyrna Beach. We had delicious meals out and watched Christmas movies together in the evenings.
Once we got back to Orlando, we visited a nephew and his wife and met our newest little family member, a smiling six-month-old baby boy. We were treated to a boat ride cruising through the canals and on the nearby lakes, with the only mishap being my prescription glasses flying off my face and into the lake! Thankfully, I had a backup pair. We had a fun family brunch with another nephew and his family before we headed to the airport.
At every part of this trip, we fell into a natural rhythm with the people we were with.
Isn’t it a such a pleasure when things just work out?
The gift of a vacation is that it is so different from the demands of our ordinary lives. We can be unhurried. Being at the beach, in particular, always reminds me of a favorite book I’ve mentioned before, Gift From the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. This passage seems to perfectly describe our experience:
“Here there is time; time to be quiet...time to think; time to watch the heron, watching with frozen patience for his prey. Time to look at the stars or to study a shell; time to see friends, to gossip, to laugh, to talk. Time, even, not to talk.”
Everywhere we went there was something beautiful to see. We decided that we had planned the vacation in the right order, first enjoying the glittering Christmas displays and razzle dazzle and sensory experiences at the theme parks, and then going to the beach, quiet in winter, for a little reflection. The ocean views from the balcony were ever-changing. The sunsets felt closer and the moon and the stars at night seemed so much brighter than they are at home.
My takeaway from the trip was that there is so much fun and delight still out there, all within our reach.
It’s amazing how a few days out of our routine, communing with others, and especially with nature, can refresh and rejuvenate us.
What opportunities for joy and happiness are you looking forward to in 2026?
Best wishes for a Happy New Year, no matter where it takes you!
Affectionately,
Elaine